What's the best way to service this type of seacock.....

[demonboy]

What\'s the best way to service this type of seacock.....

I've got a couple of old style Blakes seacocks but most of them are like the ones in the pic below. What's the best way to service them, considering they are, of course, in pretty inaccessible places and the joints have been sealed by the looks of things. Not sure I want to dismantle them completely (I am out the water). Can I grease them from the outside?

Any tips appreciated.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Re: What\'s the best way to service this type of seacock.....

I take it they are s/s?
There's not much that can be done with a ball valve, apart from removing top hoses and lightly spraying some type of light oil into them and working the handles to get oil in around the ball, also remove handle and spray oil into the spindle.
They are very reliable valves, and dont give much trouble especially the s/s ones.
Other than that, I dont think there is much more can be done other than renew them.

 

[samwise]

Re: What\'s the best way to service this type of seacock.....

Agree with Clyde Wanderer. Just keep em clean on the outside and work them from time to time. Most of the trouble with seacocks comes from disuse which leads to seizing (especially Blakes) followed by harsh measures to free them off.

 

[demonboy]

Re: What\'s the best way to service this type of seacock.....

I just asked a liveaboard friend here who says the same thing. Two of the three pictured cocks move but the third one doesn't. He suggested getting a large tube over the handle and gently rocking it backwards and forwards to get the lever moving (without snapping it of course). After that he suggested always opening and closing seacocks on a regular basis, like once a month. None of the cocks have been moved for over a year due to us being away from the boat. Now we're here permanently we'll make a point of regularly checking them.

The Blakes are easy. I just knocked them up from the underside of the hull with a hammer and long bit of metal. They just popped out.

Thank you both.

 

[VicS]

Re: What\'s the best way to service this type of seacock.....

[ QUOTE ]
I just knocked them up from the underside of the hull with a hammer and long bit of metal.

[/ QUOTE ] A piece of wood eg broom handle woul be more sensible than a metal drift.

 

[SvenglishTommy]

Re: What\'s the best way to service this type of seacock.....

I have the same kind, but I think they are plated brass rather than SS. I just spray some WD from below, and then remove the hoses and spray some in the top, then work them a few times before leaving for winter.

I close all the seacocks when I leave the boat so they get plenty of working anyway, apart from the cockpit drains which I work when openeing the sink drain/seawater inlet just to keep them alive.

 

[sticky]

Re: What\'s the best way to service this type of seacock.....

You may like to consider a long handled artists brush, I coat this with waterproof grease and then paint the closed seacock from above and below until well coated It goes without saying that hoses have to be removed and ideally you need someone to work the seacock when you are operating from below.
Otherwise it's good exercise, painting with grease, up the ladder, work the cock, down the ladder, more painting et al!